


Kings and Vagabonds

by DeiXIV



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe, Animal Death, Blood, COULD suggest rape so pls, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Feral Behavior, Fights, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Master/Pet, Slow Burn, Stockholm Syndrome, There are no graphic depictions of rape, Violence, but the language of one of the chapters, raised by wolves, read on carefully if you're easily triggered by this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-01-24 10:15:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18569341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeiXIV/pseuds/DeiXIV
Summary: The Warrior of Light, Hydalen's Chosen, Eikon Slayer, The Champion of Eorzea, The Warrior of Warriors... there are many titles for the many heroes across Eorzea who were gifted with Hydalen's blessing to defend her from the darkness. One among them is a beautiful Elezen man who calls himself Natural Harmonia. Over the years, he has risen time and time again against many foes deemed impossible to defeat. With aid from his companions, he has bested gods, ended wars, and liberated nations from the clutches of the Garlean Empire.This is not that story.In another world, this same man with the tragic tale of abandonment by his own family was never found again by Man and was subjected to a world within the wood with only himself, the beasts, and a lone mandragora. With thanks to the Blessing of Hydalen, he is able to survive and thrive and dedicates himself to protecting the Twelveswood. His acts have reached legendary status among Gridanians to the point of being deemed a "prince" by locals. However, word of his deeds would eventually reach the ears of someone who would turn his world upside-down...





	1. Prelude

**Author's Note:**

> "Nate will you ever stop with the self-indulgent posts?" No. Never.
> 
> I've been picking at this fic a bit on the side with no intention on posting until finishing but here we are. This one will probably be long and the updates will be terribly inconsistent and might even hit hiatus depending on how Shadowbringers goes but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
> 
> Ratings and tags may update with new chapters so if there's anything you find uncomfortable/triggering, be sure to check those!
> 
> Anyway, tl;dr of my WoL: he was abandoned at a young age because his Echo allows him to communicate with animals. In his actual canon, he was found by a man and was eventually reintroduced to society. This is an AU where he isn't found and stays feral for over 20 years.

“My lord… I’ve been meaning to tell you of some recent rumors that may be of interest to you…”

 

“Aulus you know I could care less of such trivial nonsense.” 

 

“Hence why I say they may be of interest to  _ you _ , Lord Zenos. It  _ could _ entail a certain royal sport of which you’re so fond…”

 

“Hmm. Is that so? Go on.”

 

“Well, some of my colleagues in the medical ward have been dealing with a number of interesting patients lately- patients from the Black Shroud. According to the injured, there’s a troublesome pack of wolves that attacks any soldier left alone or in small numbers. Some have even been killed by them.” 

 

Zenos’s bored expression didn’t change; save for the curious raising of a brow. “...Wolves?”

 

“Aye, but there’s more. Some of the survivors claimed to see a man among them… the very  _ definition _ of a savage, if you will. They say he’s quick on his feet and seemingly predict their attacks before they land.” 

 

“Oh?” Zenos hummed, leaning back in his seat. “A savage among wolves… that  _ is _ interesting… and to think they’re causing our men so much grief…”

 

“Aye.” Aulus nodded. “The patient I ended up speaking with told me that fleet has been damn near begging for reinforcements to deal with the issue, but their superiors refuse to believe the men are ‘so weak they can’t handle a few dogs’ as they say.” The man paused to have a sip of tea. “Of course, I know you’re a busy man, but if you did have the time, I figured that would be something you’d like to investigate sometime. And who knows? Mayhap if you find this savage yourself you could deal with it in the process…” 

  
“Mhmm… indeed.” He hummed again, rubbing his chin. After a brief moment of thought, he rose from his seat. “Well, I could certainly use a change of pace. Gyr Abania is so _dreadfully_ dull, after all…” The prince said with a smirk. “And besides, we can’t have the Imperial Army’s reputation tarnished by a handful of pups now can we?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Imperials stationed within the Black Shroud seem to be busier all of a sudden. Their strange behavior has captured the attention of the Forest Prince, Natural. As the Elezen awaits intel from wolves of his pack, something strange arrives that sets the creatures of the wood into panic.

His name is Natural. He is an Elezen man of twenty and four summers. One day, at the tender age of six, the boy’s vision was suddenly full of stars. To this day, he has no idea why that happened, but ever since that day, he discovered he could understand the voices of an animal’s heart. Having lived in the forest of the Twelveswood with his Duskwight parents his whole life, Natural loved being among nature and wildlife and spoke with beasts every chance he got. Though this ability was a gift for Natural, his parents found it to be more of a curse. Deeming their child insane, they left the boy alone to die one night as he slept, leaving a trail of meat in their path for a hungry predator to find him.

 

Now, he sits among the very predators as a member of their pack. While the Calamity sent the Twelveswood into chaos, Natural managed to keep his pack safe and fed through it all. Possessing a keen intellect and a unique gift (known to scholars as the Echo), he led the pack through trial after trial until they were regarded as the most powerful beasts in the forest. With this power, Natural and the wolves sought to protect the Twelveswood from anything that would cause her harm- be it poachers, glutinous beasts, or strange men clad in iron leading mechanical monsters. Natural’s kind heart and good deeds haven’t gone unnoticed neither among the wildlife nor the men who lived in the wood that saw him by chance. From the heart of the woods, to the civilization of Gridania, he came to be known as the Prince of the Forest.  

 

“ _ Natural! There are no changes to report… the men are still behaving strangely as they were previously. _ ” 

 

The Elezen uncurled himself from the warmth of a fluffy, white cloak. “ _ Alright. There’s still a number of you keeping watch, aye? _ ”

 

“ _ Aye. _ ”

 

“ _ Then stay here and rest. _ ”

 

“ _ As you wish. Thank you. _ ” The wolf scurried away to join his family. 

 

Natural curled back up into the cloak, retreating from the creeping bite of incoming winter. As it stands now, the biggest threat to the Twelveswood’s peace is the army of strange, iron-clad men. These men seem to have large metal monsters to do their bidding that disrupt the wildlife every time they venture through the wood. What’s more, they’ve taken to building horrifying walls and fortresses within the East Shroud. The structure known to these men as Baelsar’s Wall was built before Natural realized what a threat the intruders were, and he vowed to never have to see another hideous piece of man’s architecture in his home ever again. Now, he and his pack have taken to attacking the men whenever they split into small enough groups for them to handle and keep an eye on them at all times.

 

Now silent in thought, Natural ponders the men’s strange behavior today. According to his scouts, the iron men seem to be frantically running about their base, shouting amongst each other. Part of him wanted to see this for himself to hear what exactly it was they were saying. 

 

“ _ N… your head’ll catch fire if ya keep thinkin’ like that… _ ” 

 

A tiny white head poked through the fluffy barrier of the man’s cloak. It was Leafy, a mandragora that Natural had met not long after his abandonment. While Natural was a man with a love and fascination for animals, Leafy was a mandragora with a love and fascination for men. The seedkin’s family regarded the curious mandragora with disdain and often kept their distance from him out of fear his friendliness with Spoken would someday get them hurt or killed. Knowing this, young Natural took in the mandragora as a friend and brother and gave him the name Leafy, while Leafy simply named Natural, N.

 

“ _ Mayhap… but I can’t help but worry. _ ” The Elezen opened his arms for the mandragora to snuggle up against him. “ _ Just what are they up to…? I fear they may be scheming to eliminate us… _ ” 

 

“ _ Y’think so? _ ”

 

“ _ Why wouldn’t they? We’ve killed and injured a sizable amount by now- enough for them to grow noticeably cautious. We can’t let our guard down. _ ” 

 

“ _ Aye but… little point in gettin’ anxious over what we don’t know, y’know? _ ” 

 

Natural smiled softly at his friend. “ _...S’pose you’re right. _ ” He curled tighter around Leafy, holding the cloak shut to trap the duo in warmth and darkness. Natural shut his eyes, resting his forehead upon arched knees. To most, the forest would be eerily silent about now, but Natural could hear things the average person couldn’t. His hearing is already extraordinarily good; good enough to hear the rustling of leaves in the wind and footsteps and movement of the wolf pack, but that wasn’t all. All around him he could hear the voices of the forest; the wolves among them, passing birds and squirrels, even the occasional thought from Leafy. It was maddening at times, especially during tense moments such as these, but it was the price he’d pay for having such a unique gift.

 

Over time, the passing voices grew numerous, and alarmingly so. Not only were they great in number, but also… panicked? Is something happening? Natural raised his head, removing the hood of his cloak to get a better look above the overhead canopy. Scattered birds flew by before an entire flock seemed to bolt through the clearing of leaves. He could make out cries of “ _ Monster!” “Fly faster!” “Go go go! _ ” within the chaos, along with a looming sound he didn’t recognize. Without a moment of thought, he swiftly scaled the tree he was previously leaning on, sending poor Leafy tumbling out of his lap.

 

“ _ Wh-whoa! N!? _ ” 

 

With adrenaline coursing through his body, he scaled the tree in no time, poking his head through the leaves in search of whatever was causing this fuss. A strange sound almost like a roar began to grow louder and louder, and the source of the wood’s panic became evident. Another metal monster was approaching, but this one could fly through the air. “Tch…” Natural glared at the creature. First they taint the land and water, now they wish to take the skies as well? 

 

Just as he suspected, the flying monster headed for the camp where the iron men dwelled; right where his scouts were situated. Cupping his hands around his mouth, the Elezen howled to warn them of potential incoming danger. It was times like these that he cursed himself for not being better acquainted with men. He needed to know what this thing was capable of but… now wasn’t the time to ponder.

 

With haste, he slid back down the tree, greeted by his curious family once he reached solid ground. “ _ The source of the invaders’ strange behavior today may have just arrived. A flying monster is making its way in the direction of their camp. _ ” A flurry of voices followed, all filled with confusion and concern. “ _...I pray the scouts on the scene can enlighten us on this creature without any harm coming to ‘em… _ ”

 

“ _ I’m certain they heard your call, Natural. _ ” One wolf chimed in. “ _ They’re among our swiftest in the pack… so long as they keep their distance, they should be fine. All we can do now is wait. _ ”

  
The man nodded. “ _ Aye, you’re right. _ ” But waiting was always the worst part...


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The leader of the iron men finally arrives in the forest, and the pack intends on taking advantage of this rare opportunity to take him out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi I can't write fight scenes
> 
> there's also a couple PoV swaps in here so sorry about that

“ _ Natural, word from the other end of the group is they’re indeed headed this way. _ ”

 

“ _ Good. Just as predicted. Now we wait. _ ”

 

Hidden behind the dark shrubs along a clear path in the forest was Natural and the wolf pack. Natural sat atop one of the pack’s strongest and fastest wolves, his features hidden behind a mask attached to the hood of his cloak. He peered through the dimly-lit forest in the direction that their enemy is said to be coming from. According to his scouts, the flying monster left behind an exceedingly large man clad head to toe in metal armor. They assume him to be their leader. 

 

The idea of launching an attack was met with much debate among the pack once the news was received, but due to the uncertainty of the supposed leader’s visit and whether or not he should return, they decided to take the risk. If they could take the monster down today, mayhap the rest of his kin would finally withdraw from the forest for good. 

 

However, one thing did worry Natural. The scouts who bore witness to the man mentioned his aura; something animals could feel among humans much like a sixth sense. An animal can sense a person’s aura before anything else, and it’s based on this aura that they decide whether to approach, attack, or flee from them. In Natural’s case, his aura is soothing and gentle. They know he’s one to be trusted. Contrastly, this newcomer to the forest was quite the opposite. His aura reeked of death, violence, bloodlust, and general lack of empathy. What’s more, they could simply tell from the look of him that he wasn’t like the others. It was no wonder the other men seemed to grow submissive in his presence. 

 

_ Klink. Klink. Klink. _

 

“ _ Everyone, pray silence your thoughts for a moment… _ ” Natural urged. The murmurs of the wolves died down, leaving only the hushed voices of various distant wildlife to reach his ears. The Elezen closed his eyes, focusing only on the sound he heard. “ _ I hear footsteps… and clicking metal… They’re getting closer. Guard yourselves. Pass down word once they come into your view. _ ”

 

Another moment of eerie silence passed as the footsteps seemed to steadily grow louder. Finally, a voice from further down the line chimed in. “ _ I see ‘em. It’s a small group- only the leader and a couple underlings. _ ”

 

Natural was all the way at the end of the line. He could only see dark silhouettes approaching. A strange energy started to creep about the area, and as he looked upon his comrades, he noticed several among them begin to shiver with their ears pinned back and tails tucked between their legs. Was his aura really that bad? It started to make him nervous.

 

“ _...Leafy, go somewhere safe. _ ”

 

The mandragora who sat upon the man’s lap gazed up at him, giving an understanding nod before sliding off the wolf’s back. “ _ Be careful, N! _ ” He wished just before burying himself nearby. Natural clung tightly to the handle of a lance. Even if this man is exceedingly powerful, he prayed that the sheer numbers would overwhelm them. Even so, he couldn’t help but be a bit suspicious. The wolves only ever attack the invaders when they travel in small numbers, and despite this, only a small number of them accompanied the stranger. Either their leader truly is powerful, or overconfident. 

* * *

Meanwhile, the very same man approached closer and closer with only two escorts behind him. Zenos didn’t need them of course, but he was in unfamiliar territory and it was best having at least one person accompanying him that knew the land. 

 

“I imagine we’ll see ‘em any minute now.”

 

“Aye. Unless they’re smart enough to stay away from Lord Zenos.”

 

“Please, they’re a bunch of dumb mutts and a savage. They’ll be ‘ere.”

 

“Mayhaps you’re right. Hope they do come so we’ll finish this problem once ‘n for all.”

 

The two accompanying guards, not paying attention, bumped right into Zenos when he suddenly stopped walking. They nearly fell over, but the hulking man remained unfazed. “No wonder you all suffer so many casualties having such unnecessary conversation out in the open where they’ll easily find you…” He muttered. 

 

“A-apologies milord…” One replied, bowing his head.

 

“Aye, very sorry…”

 

“Silence.” He snapped. Zenos was quiet for a moment, gazing about his surroundings before proceeding down the path with the duo following close behind. As they continued to walk in silence, Zenos spoke up once more. “By the way… one of you is about to be picked off…”

 

“Wh-” before either of the men could respond, one was suddenly overtaken by a large wolf attacking him, gaping jaws clamping right at the throat.

 

“Shite!” The other spat, but before he could draw his weapon, two more wolves launched from the shadows to take him down as well. 

 

Zenos didn’t react quickly, hardly having a care what would happen if either of these men lived or died. As he turned around, the first man didn’t seem to stand a chance, as he bled profusely from the neck. The second man was viciously being torn apart by the arm and leg, but he might be able to survive. Drawing a blade, Zenos sliced at the two wolves with one attack, sending them flying and bleeding from deep  gashes. “Go crawl back to base and bring more men. I’ll have this place cleaned up before your return.” Though he could hardly stand, the panicked Imperial did as he was told. 

 

Three more wolves leapt from the shadows, this time at Zenos himself, quickly sinking their fangs into whatever body part they could get a hold of. Unlike his subordinates, however, Zenos did not fall. He gently raised one of his forearms where one wolf maintained a vice-like grip and looked carefully upon the beast. “Interesting…” He mumbled. “...you lot are more impressive than I first anticipated. However…” Zenos swung his arm with enough force to send the canine rolling along the ground, then struck the other two until they let go, scurrying several fulms away with fangs bared. “...you’re not the ones I’m here for…” 

* * *

A rumble of growls began to fill the air. Dozens of wolves, fur raised and fangs gleaming in the sunlight, slowly emerged from the shrubs. The man was completely surrounded two times over. Just as the first ring of dogs launched an attack, the stranger swiftly turned around as if he predicted what was coming next. The powerful wolf bearing its Elezen companion leapt at the man with all its strength. The man somehow managed to dodge most of the spear’s force, but he’d have likely lost an eye had it not been for the helm atop his head. 

 

Unlike the surrounding ring of wolves, Natural commanded his mount to instead rush past the man and keep guard over him while he tended to the injured. A faint green glow shone below Natural’s hand as it met the gashes upon his injured comrades. The wounds closed just enough to stop the bleeding, but they weren’t completely cured. “ _ Pray return home and look after your injuries. You’ve done enough for today. Thank you. _ ” Natural looked to the other wolf who stood over the man he had slain. “ _ You played your role perfectly. See them back home, please. _ ”

 

“ _ Yes. _ ” The wolf nodded. Once the injured duo managed to get to their feet, the three quickly ran away. A loud rumble caught Natural’s attention, and as he turned behind him, a large shockwave struck the ground, sending the literal pile of wolves flying backwards onto the ground. 

 

“So the prince of savages finally shows himself…” The man said as he took several steps towards the Elezen. The surrounding wolves stood their ground, snarling ever louder and snapping their jaws as he tried to approach their friend. 

 

“ _ What say you all… did any of you detect weaknesses? _ ”

 

“ _ Nay, Natural. He’s nothing but metal. _ ”

 

“ _ Shite… even his throat? _ ”

 

“ _ Aye. _ ”

 

“ _ I felt slightly weaker areas around his joints, but even so, they’re tough to reach and still seem quite protected. _ ”

 

Natural’s eyes scanned the behemoth of a man from head to toe, and could very well see the challenge presented. Man’s armor was such a foreign thing to him, and the men of iron were nothing like the lance-wielders that protected the settlements in his home. 

 

The man stopped his advance, gaze fixed in Natural’s direction. “Come now. Are you going to stare through me all day or show me the reason my men couldn’t handle you themselves?” He taunted. 

 

Natural growled along with the rest of the pack. “ _ Alright… aim for his head. See if that helmet can be removed easily, and if so, attack his eyes. His hair is also exposed, so try grabbing onto that and reel him back. Attack two at a time, should one of you fall, another will take his place. I’ll treat injuries. The goal is to make his head a weakness and tire him out! _ ” 

 

With flurries of “ _ Understood! _ ” filling his ears, the wolves began their assault. Fangs and claws lunged for the helmet as powerful jaws clamped at the billowing golden locks that at least succeeded in causing him even a little pain. Unfortunately, he was still quite powerful and shook off his attackers with clenched fists and swings of his blade. As ordered, those who were unfortunate enough to meet the blade retreated to Natural for curing. 

 

Soon, he began bringing legs into the equation and kicked away attackers that drew too close. “ _ We may need more. Pin his legs down if you can! _ ” Two wolves on either side of the man rushed in low to do just that. Almost distracted by the sudden low blows, he nearly missed the routine attack on his helmet, but managed to catch the attacker by his throat at the last moment.

 

“Interesting... they seem to show signs of a strategy, but I’ve not heard you make a noise, savage…” He stared the wolf in the eyes as he clamped a hand around its windpipe. “Could it be that you’re silently navigating them? Or are these beasts that smart on their own…?” 

 

The wolf began to flail and cry, quickly losing its breath. “ _ Someone save him, he’s being choked! _ ” Natural commanded. Two more wolves from both sides leapt to the rescue, but the one on the side of the man’s blade ran chest-first through the point, while the other one mercilessly attacked his arm and wrist. Natural clung to his own chest, gasping at the horrible wound his friend endured. “ _ Shite… get out of there so I can treat you! _ ” Unfortunately, with a flick of the man’s wrist, his blade cut through fur and hide, leaving an injury far too grave for the wolf to survive. “ _ No!! _ ”

 

“Alright. I’ve played with your pets long enough. They’re beginning to bore me.” Despite the assault upon his other arm, the man still found the strength to clamp down upon the other wolf’s throat tightly enough to crush it. Once he flung both corpse and attacker away, the man once again struck the ground with his blade, sending another shockwave through the area. The impact made the wolves biting at his legs yelp, leaving enough of an opening for the man to kick them away at full force. With nothing holding him back, the monster of a man began wildly attacking all the surrounding canines with his blade, moving so quickly that the eye couldn’t keep track. 

 

Natural’s jaw hung open at the display of a dark blur splashing blood every which way whenever the man came into clear view. “N _ o… no no he’s too strong… HE’S TOO STRONG, WE NEED TO WITHDRAW! _ ” He commanded, finally sprinting ahead on all fours to join the fray. The moment he was lucky enough to get close, Natural clung onto the man with all his might, effectively stopping the onslaught. “ _ I’ll cover your retreat! Go go go!! Run!! Do not try to help me just  _ **_go_ ** _! _ ” The near-deafening sound of flurries of fleeing paws crinkling upon fallen leaves overtook the battlefield as the wolves did as they were commanded. Some swiftly fled in the blink of an eye, others limped away with some assistance from the able-bodied. Unfortunately, a small number among them did not get back up.

 

“Ah, commanding a tactful retreat, eh?” The man chuckled. “Mayhap for the best… now the real fun can begin.” He grabbed Natural by the forearm and effortlessly threw him over his shoulder. “Give me all you’ve got, beast!” 

 

With a snarl, Natural lunged forward, aiming his lance at the helmet as per the previous strategy. If he could just blind the man, even for a moment, that might be all Natural needs to get away. Sadly, it wasn’t an easy task, as he seemed to predict all of the Elezen’s movements. Eventually, he simply countered by breaking the lance with his blade. No matter, he still had a knife he could use. It wasn’t a terribly powerful weapon, but Natural swung it at his enemy in an attempt to find weak points. As the wolves told him, there was nothing but metal all over his body, and even the spots that seemed weak were well-guarded. Soon enough, the knife would also go flying courtesy of a counter-attack. 

 

Shite… if only he could get away. A flash of red in the shape of a cone flashed below’s Natural’s feet, and he quickly rolled out of the way. Sure enough, the man was preparing a special attack. “Ah… saw that coming, did you?” Again, another flash of red appeared, but this time it surrounded the man in a circle. Natural ran away, narrowly missing another shockwave. “The men did mention you could seemingly predict one’s moves. I think I understand now where your power comes from…”

 

Natural needed to think fast. There had to be something to slow him down. A quick look around his surroundings finally gave him an answer. Once more, a flash of red displayed an incoming attack, and as Natural rolled out of the way, he picked up his fallen knife. As he ran to dodge more attacks, he swiped the pointed end of his lance as well. This was a bit of a long-shot, but it was the only chance he had to escape. Rushing towards the monster, Natural rolled around on the ground just before the man could make any impact against him, and stabbed the knife and lance both through the red fabric that scraped along the ground from his waist. 

 

Without another moment of thought, Natural sprinted through the brush of the woods as fast as his legs would carry him. He weaved through trees and shrubs, ensuring he wasn’t going completely in a straight line so he couldn’t easily be followed.  The plan may have very well been a success as he did not hear his attacker pursuing him.

 

Suddenly, Natural fell backwards as he ran into a large, sturdy object that probably would have broken his nose if his mask didn’t take most of the impact. He felt his heart sink as he looked upon the very man he tried to get away from. Before he had time to react, a swift blow came upon his abdomen courtesy of the man’s boot. The taste of iron filled his mouth as crimson liquid spewed from his lips. 

 

“Well well. I daresay that was rather clever of you, but you should have known that wouldn’t be enough to stop me.” Another blow hit him on the side as he was kicked several fulms away. “As it turns out, you and your den of pups are doing a remarkable job of halting the progress my men have been trying to make in this land, so I’m afraid you’ll no longer be suffered to live.” 

 

Natural clung to his side, struggling to return to his hands and knees. He knew it was pointless to try anything, but his body screamed for him to keep running. One more hard blow from the man’s foot hit him upside the head, and only darkness followed after.

* * *

The kick sent the savage rolling into a nearby tree. He no longer seemed to be moving, but Zenos knew the blunt attacks weren’t enough to kill him. The hunter approached his fallen prey slowly, once more drawing his blade. However, just as he raised his arm, he noticed something. That last kick to the head removed the hood that covered his face. Zenos felt his breath catch in his throat.

 

The sun’s rays peeked through the canopy of the trees just so that the man’s pale face was illuminated in the otherwise dimly-lit area. Though now stained at the corners with blood, his lips were puffy and pink, and long white lashes lined now-closed eyes. Lengthy, tangled locks of silver flowed down his face and shoulders, almost seeming to shimmer in the light. Now that the man was still, Zenos also noticed he was completely nude save for the cloak fastened across his chest. His whole body was pale like snow, and laid a lifeless lump before him, much like a rippling wave with the curves of his waist and long legs. In short, Zenos could only describe him as… beautiful. He couldn’t help but stand in stunned silence. 

 

“...nos… Lord Zenos!”

 

Zenos gasped, somehow not noticing his reinforcements arrived at last. Several men began to cheer and celebrate at the fallen sight before them. “I knew you could do it, milord!” One cheered as he jumped in the air.

 

“Oi, oi! Looks like he’s still breathin’... Did we catch ya before y’finished the job?”

 

“Ay lemme do it! Bastard’s responsible for the death of some o’ me mates!” 

 

“Hells no! Me first!” 

 

“Silence!” Zenos snapped, effectively hushing the arguing men. “We’ll be taking this one under arrest.”

 

The silence persisted for a moment longer, but this time due to confusion. “Err- arrest, milord?” One inquired, finally speaking up. “This man’s a savage… with no home or family or friends save for those bloody mutts. I daresay he knows nothin’ of the law, for that matter. I don’t see much a point in arrestin’ him when we could just kill him!”

 

There was a murmur of agreement among the imperials, but Zenos had made up his mind. “No. This  _ savage _ has committed crimes against the Empire. He’s stood in the way of our advancements and killed several of our men. Such actions deserve punishment, do they not?”

 

“Aye. Death.” A soldier said without hesitation. At that, the man met a swift end courtesy of Zenos’s blade, collapsing to the ground into a pool of crimson.

 

“Does anyone among you agree with him?” A flurry of silent, shaking heads followed. “Good. Now one of you collect the beast for me. He’s got a long journey ahead of him…”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the aftermath of that fateful battle in the Shroud and Natural finds himself in a strange place far away from home.

“ _....N… N….? ….N..!! Come on, N…. please wake up… N… _ ”

 

“Mmn…”

 

“ _ N! Yes, I see you stirring… c’mon you can do it! _ ”

 

The Elezen’s muscles twitched slightly as consciousness slowly began to return to him. Immediately, he was met with a wave of chilled air and the uncomfortable feeling of stone beneath his belly. His vision was foggy when he finally managed to open his eyes, but the familiar sight of round white eyes peering through black softened what would have otherwise been a shocking sight. “L-Leaf-” He breathed, barely whispering. 

 

“ _ Yeah, N! _ ” The mandragora jumped with glee. “ _ Thank goodness… you’re not dead… _ ” Leafy whimpered, giving his friend a little hug upon his forehead. 

 

“ _ Oh… ‘m not…? _ ” Natural asked, remembering this time to use the voice of his heart, rather than his weak physical voice. As he made his first attempts to move, he hissed as sharp pains shot through parts of his body. The man was already in rough shape thanks to the encounter in the forest, but it was only made worse as he grew stiff from being sprawled face-down upon a cold, hard ground. Natural struggled to roll on his back, groaning in agony when he finally succeeded. 

 

His worried friend waddled after him, gesturing for the man to be still. “ _ Hey, hey… don’t push it, N. You’re still hurt… _ ”

 

Natural’s breath was heavy, his chest heaving up and down as his gaze remained fixed above him. He was in a dark place, but the details became more visible as his foggy eyes began to clear. “ _ I’m not, don’t worry. _ ” He wriggled his body as he felt something uncomfortable and cold under his back. Casting his gaze aside, he made out the faint sight of a chain running from beneath his body to a nearby stone wall. “ _ Where… exactly are we? And how did you even find me? _ ”

 

As the seedkin composed his reply, Natural fought to sit himself upward. “ _ Hmm… that’s the thing… I don’t know. Well, first, I heard your call for retreat to the others. Sounded like you all were in trouble, so I left my hiding place to catch up. Guess it’s a good thing I’m kinda slow… ‘cause I intercepted the scary men carrying you away and followed them instead. _ ” 

 

The sound of cracking joints and clanking metal echoed through the place as Natural finally got into sitting position. His teeth began to chatter slightly as the chill in the air caught up with him. His cloak seemed to be missing, so he was completely naked on top of all the other problems he was currently experiencing; the only exception of his nudity being a freezing metal collar around his neck. “ _ I see… Glad as I am to see you, you probably should have stayed behind. _ ” Natural hugged his legs to his chest, resting his forehead on his knees. It wasn’t the same without his cloak, but it was better than nothing. His body shivered as he rubbed his arms for warmth. “ _...but do go on. _ ”

 

The mandragora nodded. As he continued the story, he squeezed through the crevices of Natural’s limbs to join him on his lap. Leafy may not have been terribly warm himself, but he wanted to help somehow. “ _ Well, they got you onto the flying… thing.... And I snuck onto it with you and hid in the shadows. I did find a way to look outside, though! We went over that big, scary wall they built in the East Shroud and kept going. At first, it wasn’t so bad ‘cause the wood was still there… and quite pretty as well. It wasn’t like the forest we’re used to… but then… it thinned out into nothing. _ ”

 

“ _ Nothing? _ ”

 

“ _ Mhm. Like, literally nothing. Just… wasteland… with mountains and sometimes a building or bridge… I felt like it got worse and worse as we went on. The land we’re in now is certainly the worst of all. It’s just sand and vast ponds that barely even looks like water… at least not clean water. It was hard to tell. _ ” Leafy was startled at the sight of a sudden, faint green glow coming from his friend’s body. Natural was completely still, listening carefully to the mandragora’s tale and attempting to heal himself. “ _ Then we came across this… city I guess. Big buildings that seemed to be made of stone, and we landed at the biggest building. Couldn’t see much after that, though… didn’t wanna get caught. _ ”

 

Natural peered from behind his knees, his eyes darting around the room now that his vision was finally more focused. Leafy seemed right about the stone part; the room was completely built floor to ceiling with it. The only exception was the wall to his left, lined with metal rods. To his right, he noticed what seemed to be a small, high up window that was also lined with metal rods. There was no glass, so the cold outside breeze drafted through the room. Underneath the window, to his dismay, was the chain he noticed previously, linking the man to the wall to further prevent escape. “ _ Well… I’m glad you’re safe at least. What of the others? Did you see them when you followed me? _ ”

 

Leafy was quiet for a moment. Natural sensed he may have been nervous, but he couldn’t tell if that was just his imagination. “ _ Hmm… n-no… I didn’t see anyone. _ ”

 

Natural hummed, but before he could question his friend further, he heard a noise echo through the room. The healing glow came to an abrupt stop, and he held the mandragora close to his body as he peered towards the metal bars. The sound of heavy footsteps followed the booming noise. “ _ Is someone coming…? Leafy, take to the shadows! _ ” 

 

“ _ A-aye! _ ” The seedkin scrambled out of his friend’s grasp, waddling to a dark corner of their prison. As the steps grew louder, a faint glow seemed to come closer and closer as well. Natural grew increasingly tense, until the dreaded source of light and sound both finally came into view. 

 

“Well, well… awake at last I see...” Natural’s eyes narrowed at the man on the other side of the wall. Though he was no longer wearing armor, he could tell by his size, voice, and familiar long, golden hair that this was the same man that bested him in the forest. In his hand was what appeared to be a lantern that he now hung somewhere out of Natural’s sight just outside the room. “I must say, your little pets are rather determined. ‘Tis most admirable how much they seem to care about you but…” He tossed something into the room from behind his back that landed with an echoing  _ thud _ . Natural’s jaw hung open with wide eyes as he gasped at the sight; the severed head of one of his wolves. “...trying to come after you was a foolish mistake. Ah well, it made thinning their numbers all the easier- and I daresay they’ll make some fine rugs for my chambers.” Now, a jingling sound filled the room as the man withdrew a key ring from his waist, unlocking the prison door with a loud  _ clank _ . 

 

Natural didn’t know what the man was up to, but he didn’t trust him; especially now that he knew his hands were drenched with the blood of his family. He scurried back as the enemy approached him, taking a defensive stance on all fours and baring his teeth. “Oh settle down, savage I’m not here to cause you anymore harm…” He said with a dull tone in his voice. “...rather, I’m here to relocate you somewhere more comfortable.” As the man reached for Natural’s collar, the Elezen retaliated by biting him hard on the hand. This stopped the man in place, the only movement coming from his eyes that peered down at his hand. “...but that isn’t to say I  _ won’t _ hurt you should you keep this up.” At that, he flicked Natural hard on the nose, causing him to yelp in pain and release the man’s hand. 

 

“Hmph.” Taking keys in hand again, the man unlocked the collar around Natural’s neck. “You’re clearly a feral man, so I don’t expect you to be familiar with the term ‘do not bite the hand that feeds you’, but you’d do well to become acquainted with it.  _ Now _ .” He took Natural’s wrist in his hand, attempting to guide him to his feet. “Come. We’re not keeping you here.” 

 

Still, Natural did not trust him. He remained grounded, resisting the man’s tugs with all his might. “Oh come now… we’ve already proven you’re no match for me.” Just to prove his point, the man tugged hard at Natural’s arm, causing him to fall over. “I’ve no qualms dragging you to our destination. You’re only making this difficult for yourself.” Natural still rebelled, tugging hopelessly at his arm that remained unmoving in the man’s vice grip. “Very well.” He said simply, continuing out of the room with the Elezen dragging behind him like a ragdoll. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, Natural kicked, fought, and growled with all his might, even with the previous fight’s pain reminding him that he hadn’t completely healed. The other man may have been stronger, but Natural wanted him to know he’d not take him without a fight. 

 

They stopped halfway down a long corridor, the man heaving a loud sigh. “Really, there’s no point in this little rebellion. You can’t escape me, and no one is here to save you.” Again, he tugged hard on Natural’s arm, this time lifting him off the ground completely. With little effort, even with the Elezen’s struggling, he slung Natural over his shoulder and continued onward. Now, Natural fought back by kicking, clawing at his back, and tugging at his hair. Without his armor, Natural liked to think he was inflicting at least  _ some _ pain now, but the man remained unflinching.

 

After seemingly endless halls and staircases were crossed, the duo finally seemed to reach their destination. Once he entered a room and closed the door behind him, the man carelessly dropped Natural onto the hard floor, damn near knocking the wind out of him. “Here you are. Your new home.” 

 

Natural sat up, rubbing his rear to alleviate at least some pain. A quick glance around revealed a room far more vast than the one he came from. Most of the space was occupied by a large bed in the center lined with an open canopy. He felt a nudge at his side from the man’s foot. “Well, go on. Look around. Make yourself at home.” Natural glared at him. Again, he felt suspicious, but now the man simply stood by a nearby wall, folding his arms over his chest. Mayhap checking out his surroundings wouldn’t hurt… 

 

His eyes remained glued on the man as he shifted onto all fours, only peeling away his glare once he started on his tour. As he headed for the parallel corner, he heard the man snort behind him. “Tch, even out of the wild you still walk like a beast…” He remarked, noticing the Elezen walking around on his hands and tip-toes. Natural simply ignored him, looking over to a nearby desk. “That’s my desk. Important work is stored there, so you’d do best not to ruin it.” Don’t ruin it, huh? He kept that in mind… but not for good reason.

 

The area in the corner had a number of things; cushions strewn about, a couple metal bowls, a chain linked to the wall with a leather collar at the other end, and a closed-off area. “And that’s where you’ll sleep. Mayhap I can arrange something more dignifying if you decide to act like a man.” Natural sniffed the air around the area. The metal of the chains seemed extra strong, and he detected the woody aroma of sawdust and earthy stone. He must have just built this section. Most of his life was spent sleeping among animals in the forest, and even when he did live with his Elezen parents, they never had a home; instead they took to camping around or sleeping in caves. Even if this arrangement was degrading, he wouldn’t know it. Hells, a floor of cushions and nearby food bowls were the most luxurious things he’s ever had. 

 

Next, he wandered over to the bed. It sat up quite high, so he got up on his knees to get a better look. It was so huge, he probably could have fit the whole wolf pack on it. “And that’s  _ my _ bed. If you dirty it, there will be consequences.” Something else he decided to keep in mind for the wrong reasons. Looping around the bed to the other side of the room, there wasn’t much else to see. There was a nightstand beside his bed, a bust on top of a table, and a large window taking up most of the wall. Natural decided to take a look outside. The sun had already set, so he couldn’t make out too much. 

 

There was a door to his left he had only just noticed when he detected the sound of running water. It wasn’t the same door they came from, and the man didn’t budge when Natural approached it. With caution, he nudged the door open and went inside. A short, narrow hall led to a sizable room lined with marble. Most of the room was taken over by an enormous stone tub filled with water hot enough to fill the air with mist. Again rising to his knees, he noticed the tub had a few levels above it with water gently flowing through like a river with small waterfalls. He had to admit, it was kind of pretty.

 

When he left the room, the man remained unbudged. “Something you’re likely not acquainted with; the washroom. Worry not, you  _ will _ be acquainted with it soon enough.” Natural gazed around, not noticing much else worth exploring. “Well? That can’t be all, can it? I’m certain there’s more you’d like to see…” Natural tilted his head in confusion. Was there really anything else? He did another lap around the room, even crawled under the bed and checked under all the furniture, but there wasn’t much else to see. Was he testing him? Unless… 

 

Natural looked over to the door leading outside the room. That was the only corner he hadn’t gone to. Stealing a peek at the man, he noticed a faint change in expression. Is that what he was getting at? Approaching the door? Leaving the room? Now that he thought of it, that was his only means for escape, wasn’t it? He crawled to the window, this time taking a better look outside. There appeared to be some sort of balcony, but he could tell they were pretty high up. When he looked to the door again, the man spoke up once more. “Are you starting to understand yet?”

 

So that was it then? Natural couldn’t figure out what made the doorway out so important, but his curiosity was piqued. He headed towards the door at a brisk pace, but before he could reach it, the man had appeared before it at the blink of an eye. His arms remained crossed, and he could see the faintest of smiles in his eyes.

 

“That’s right. This is your only way out. Jumping out the window means death, and there are no other exits in the washroom. If you want to get out of here, you need only walk out the door.”

 

He made it sound so simple, but Natural had a feeling this wouldn’t be easy. Just to humor him, he continued to the door, attempting to reach it through the opening in his legs. As he figured, he was easily shoved away by the man’s boot. Of course; he’d have to fight for his freedom, wouldn’t he? Natural took a moment to analyze the situation. On the one hand, this man was exceedingly strong, but on the other hand, he was currently unarmed and wore light, fabric clothing. Unlike the fight in the woods, he had plenty of weak spots exposed. 

 

Natural slowly rose to his feet, curling his fingers like a beast’s claws. Mayhap he was about to do something foolish, but what if this was the only chance he’d get?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natural (quite literally) fights for his freedom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BIG HEADS-UP! The ending of this chapter is meant to be left to interpretation. It's easy to interpret the language of the ending as resulting in rape or any other terribly abusive situation that could be potentially triggering to some readers. However, as stated before, it's meant to be left to interpretation so there will be no graphic depictions (aside from the chapter's entire fight scene... which is honestly pretty tame imo). 
> 
> To those who don't want to take the risk, it is entirely possible to continue enjoying this story by skipping this chapter altogether. (I might even be TOO careful about this but I want to ensure all my readers are comfortable despite the subject ;w; )

Natural could see the taunting smile in the man’s eyes. Oh, how he would love to pluck them from his head… He flexed his fingers, the cracking of narrow joints being the only sound heard in the vast room. This would be a difficult fight to approach. No matter what Natural did, he knew he’d probably be caught and tossed around like a doll. Although, that’s probably something he could use to his advantage.

 

There was little point in holding off any longer. Natural lunged at the enemy within a few long strides, leaping at the large man once he was close enough. As predicted, the man caught him by the neck with one hand. Though he attempted to throw Natural back where he came from, the Elezen latched onto his arm with his hands and legs. With claws digging into the man’s wrist and one leg wrapped tight around his upper arm, Natural took his free foot stomping and kicking the man’s face with all his might.

 

“Tch…” Though the blows were hitting their mark, he only seemed more annoyed than hurt by the assault. The man retaliated by tightening his grip upon Natural’s throat, but he refused to let up. The Elezen clung even tighter, feeling skin break beneath sharpened claws. He couldn’t help smiling from the satisfaction of finally seeing the monster bleed. Unfortunately, the lack of air intake started to weaken him and the attacks missed more than they hit. Next thing he knew, the man swung his arm at the nearby wall, slamming Natural hard against solid stone. The little remaining wind was knocked out of him and he slid to the hard floor. “Hmm… not bad…” The man growled, wiping blood from his nose and observing the red stain upon his hand closely along with the deep scratches on his wrist. “’Tis rare that I see my own blood. You do indeed have potential.”

 

Natural lay helpless, trying to catch his breath, waiting, bracing for another blow to strike him while he was down. Surprisingly, the man waited patiently for him to collect himself again. Perhaps it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. The man wasn’t actively trying to hurt Natural; he was simply preventing his escape. Natural’s eyes scanned the ground around the enemy’s feet for some sort of weakness or opening he couldn’t see from standing height. A couple ideas came to mind, but the odds of their success seemed low.

 

On his hands and knees, staying as low to the ground as he was able, he scrambled for the door. He hoped the man’s massive height would prove to be a disadvantage if he stayed low and moved fast. As expected, he attempted to swipe at Natural, but he rolled just out of his reach. Yes! He managed to get past him, but unfortunately, he was caught by the hair just before he was able to touch the door. “Oh, so close!” The man taunted, yanking a fistful of snow-white locks hard enough to pull the Elezen upon his backside. “You are more than welcome to give this up at any time, you know.” Natural blindly swiped his claws at the man’s arm, angrily snarling in reply. “Very well.” He shrugged, giving Natural’s hair another hard tug, dragging and dropping the Elezen where he started.

 

He rubbed the sore spot of his scalp, quickly calculating his next move. His next strategy was to attack the man’s legs. He was big and likely heavy, so wearing him down from the bottom up could send him toppling like a weakened tree. Natural charged low again, growling with fangs bared. He managed to dodge a foot coming straight at his face and began mercilessly gnawing and clawing at the man’s ankle. The enemy attempted to shake him off by stomping Natural with his other foot, but he refused to let up. Instead, he quickly pulled back his foot, ripping it out of the Elezen’s vice grip, and swung it back to kick him hard in the face. Natural shook his head, blinking back spots in his vision and ignoring the blood now dripping from his nose to go in for another assault; this time to the other foot. Unlike before, the man didn’t allow Natural to do much damage before he pulled back and kicked him hard again.

 

As time went on, he came up with strategy after strategy to try to take the behemoth down; pulling his hair, clawing his eyes, and striking whatever nerves and tender areas he could think of. Despite them both being bloodied and bruised, the enemy yet remained on his own two feet while Natural constantly ate the floor with each failed strike. Now, the other was beginning to grow visibly bored.

 

“Are you done yet, savage? You can hardly stand.” Just to try to prove him wrong, Natural forced himself upon his feet and slowly charged. With a sigh, the man shoved him to the ground the moment the Elezen was close enough to his reach. Natural rolled over to his side, the outline of that bloody door visible between the man’s feet. His breath grew heavy and ragged from exhaustion and pain. At this point, he felt he would have been better off in that stone prison; at least there wasn’t a clear exit within his view to taunt him.

 

The man crossed his arms, staring upon his prisoner with no shred of exhaustion or empathy present in his dull, blue eyes. “Give up _now_? The hour is late and I’d like to sleep soon.” Natural grit his teeth, knowing full well he was far past his limit. Still, part of him wished to keep fighting yet. An exasperated sigh came from the man. Without even realizing at first, Natural slowly wriggled to the door, pulling himself to his destination with weakened hands and arms. Though he prepared to suffer another kick somewhere on his face or shoulders when he reached the man’s feet, it never came. Closer and closer he approached the door and he felt his heart begin to race in his chest. Did he finally do it? Did he appeal to his captor’s better nature? Would he let him go by an act of mercy?

 

Slowly, slowly, and even slower still, even though the distance wasn’t great, he felt he may as well have crossed the entire Twelveswood on foot with how long it took him to reach the door. He was afraid of looking over his shoulder at the man holding him hostage, but Natural knew he was still there with his own eyes upon him. Ever so carefully, his fingertips and the tips of his claws touched the wooden door. Natural gasped, half-preparing to suffer another hit now that he reached his goal, but still, it never came. Using the last of the strength he had left, he pulled himself up to his knees; just high enough to reach the knob of the door. Yes! Now he only needed to turn it and-

 

A forceful blow struck the back of his head hard enough to smack his forehead against the door and send him upon his back writhing as he clutched his face in pain. “I hope you enjoyed that, savage. That’s as close as you’ll ever get.” The man now loomed over him, and when Natural finally looked up at him, he felt smaller than he had ever felt in his whole life. “I daresay you’re smarter than I first imagined, but at the end of the day, you’re just another beast in man’s skin…” He knelt down to Natural’s level, grabbing him firmly by the jaw, forcing the Elezen to look at him. The man’s expression (or lack thereof) didn’t change in the slightest as his eyes scanned Natural’s face and length of his body. With little effort, he raised Natural to sitting position, pinning his shoulders to the door. “…and like most intelligent beasts, you can be broken… _I_ am your master now, and you’ll do well to remember this.” He tightened his grip upon the Elezen, leaning in ever closer to him, speaking with a growl into his ear. “So, if you insist on being a beast, I’ll simply break you until you never forget again…”


End file.
